When Manly’s last original beach cottage changed hands in 2018, there were more than a few wishful buyers left disappointed and sure that it would be many years before such a landmark would ever be offered for sale again.
Fast forward to 2020, and the world is a much different place.
MORE: $12m man reveals how to buy in a recession
Grand Mosman estate offering a slice of history
Largely thanks to COVID-19, homeowners all over the country are re-evaluating where they live and how they live, and many are making some big changes.
That includes the owners of 118 North Steyne, the treasured c1906 beach cottage known as Brise De Mer, French for ’sea breeze’.
The owners, who moved from Mosman to Manly two years ago, have decided they want to spend more of the year living overseas to be closer to family, said Michael Clarke, of Clarke & Humel.
He has been inundated with inquiries from potential buyers from all over the world. Even buyers in Singapore, London and New York are all considering the property, knowing they might potentially have to buy it sight unseen given strict international travel restrictions.
“People are thinking differently now,” Mr Clarke said. “Life is strange, and they are thinking, ‘if I’m not going to buy the house of my dreams then when’.
“This is a unique time to buy a unique property and I think this is it. For whoever buys it this time, it will likely be their forever home. It is a very special property.”
The cottage has been painstakingly renovated and architecturally remastered to preserve its heritage-listed features, while also adding a new layer of luxury and sophistication that newly federated Australians could only have dreamt about in the early 1900s.
It has traded only a handful of times since it was built more than a century ago, and famously dodged the bulldozers when it was bought by a developer in 2002.
After years of debate by the community and the local council at the time, a heritage listing was granted in 2006.
The property was sold to another developer, who reached an agreement to restore the house on a portion of the original 910sqm site and allow for the construction of a new, low-rise, luxury five-apartment building at the back of the block.
Two years of intensive restoration followed and the property was sold in late 2009, before it sold again to the current owners in 2018.
Mr Clarke said the property had been newly renovated with the latest designer finishes and was easily one Manly’s most treasured trophy homes.
Newly renovated again with the latest designer finishes
Set on a level 440sqm and surrounded by landscaped tropical gardens, the home has a wide central entrance hall with soaring patterned ceilings that lead to an open plan casual living and dining areas where you can see, smell and hear the ocean.
Marble ocean-view terraces and a barbecue area are perfect for lazy summer days and the lounge room has a gas log fireplace and formal dining room for entertaining in style no matter what the season.
Other features include a large terrace with new retractable roof, marble kitchen with island bench and premium Miele appliances, whole-floor parent’s retreat opening to an ocean-view terrace, marble bathrooms, newly renovated basement games room/home theatre/office, new ducted airconditioning, and three Jetmaster gas fireplaces.
Classic design is still a big feature of the home, including high patterned ceilings, leadlight windows and timber flooring.
There is an internal lift to the basement, C-bus smart system, plantation shutters,
CCTV security system with intercom and double garage with internal lift access to the home.
“This is a rare piece of history and it is unlikely another opportunity to buy it will come up for a long time,” Mr Clarke said.
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The post Manly’s last original beach cottage comes to market with a price guide of $9m to $9.9m appeared first on realestate.com.au.